Traumatic brain injury and aggression: A systematic review and future directions using community samples

Aggression is widespread and a significant community burden, with violence-related injury deaths representing a significant public health problem. We explore aggression relative to a possible associated factor, traumatic brain injury (TBI). Our focus is on a less well studied population, those recruited through the community who may not have had hospital care or contact with the criminal justice system (e.g. were recruited in schools). This study provides a critical review of the potential relationship between aggression and traumatic brain injury. We undertook a systematic search of published literature of studies recruited through the community and found seven studies examining aggression and TBI. All studies identified a relationship between reports of TBI and aggression, however only two studies were longitudinal in design. The study focuses on the limitations of the current body of research, including in definitions of constructs, the need to understand mediating and moderating factors, and improvements needed in the overall research design of studies.